Slovenia and Lithuania will square off after both lost their quarterfinal matches in the FIBA 2023 World Cup. Lithuania could not build on its victory over the United States against Serbia, but a superb Canadian team defeated Slovenia. The last time these two teams met, Luka Doncic quieted the typically rowdy Kaunas crowd with a 30-point triple-double in a 96-85 triumph that sent the Slovenians to Tokyo in 2021.
The game will be played in the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, and you can watch it live on ESPN+, Courtside 1891, at 4:45 a.m. ET/1:45 a.m. PT. The teams’ rosters would not see much of a change in the power-packed matchup, but there is one player on each team that fans must look out for.
With a total of 26.3 points per game, Luka Doncic has the highest scoring average in this FIBA 2023 World Cup. Along with 6.8 rebounds and 6.5 assists per game. The shooting guard scored 26 points against Canada, but it was not enough to keep his team from losing.
On the other hand, there is Jonas Valanciunas, a center for Lithuania has a game average of 13.2 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 0.7 assists. With 4/5, he has an 80% three-point shooting percentage.
Will Luka Doncic win it all for Slovenia?
Luka Doncic was the key player for Slovenia in their FIBA World Cup match against Canada. Doncic may be more motivated than ever after being ejected in their quarterfinal matchup. Slovenia’s Klemen Prepelic, a consistent supporter, contributed to the team’s success. Slovenia’s shooting percentage of 48.8 percent versus Canada is encouraging, with 15-of-31 from downtown.
Lithuania is a fan favorite in this game, despite Slovenia having the best player. Their advantage lies in size, with Jonas Valanciunas leading the team in the paint and exploiting Slovenia’s smaller guards. Despite having an NBA star, Lithuania employs a balanced offensive attack. Five of their players average at least nine points per game. JV leads the team with 13.2 points and 8.3 rebounds, while Rokas Jokubaitis has an average of 12.8 points and 6.2 assists per contest.
Slovenia has never lost three straight games in over 10 years, and Doncic’s performance could help them overcome the spread. Slovenia still has two games left, regardless of the outcome of tomorrow’s encounter against Lithuania. While Lithuania has an advantage because of the additional day for recovery, the Lithuanians are too explosive offensively, large, and deep for a one-dimensional Slovenian side.
Over the last two games, Germany and Canada have also revealed Slovenia’s defensive shortcomings. With all of that in consideration, it appears that supporters are still divided on who they believe would do the job.
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